Sugar

News about Sugar, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Feb. 19, 2015

A nutrition advisory panel that helps shape the country’s official dietary guidelines recommended sharp new limits on the amount of added sugars that Americans should consume. MORE

Dec. 23, 2014

Op-Ed article by cardiovascular scientist James J DiNicolantonio and Prof Sean C Lucan warns of dangers posed by increased sugar consumption during the holiday season; cites extensive evidence that sugar is significantly addicting, fact that is being exploited by the food industry; calls for consumers to substitute whole, natural foods for sweet industrial concoctions. MORE

Oct. 20, 2014

Editorial discourages Mayor Bill de Blasio from pursuing ban on large sugary drinks in New York City; argues it is an ineffective way to address obesity problem; suggests de Blasio commit funds to public education programs instead, citing success of anti-soda advertisements. MORE

May. 9, 2014

Disease that affects kidneys has killed at least 20,000 people in Central America over past decade, particularly affecting Nicaragua's sugar cane workers; illness is so poorly understood that it still does not have universally agreed upon name. MORE

Mar. 26, 2014

Mark Bittman Op-Ed column welcomes meta-analysis published in journal Annals of Internal Medicine finding no evidence to support notion that saturated fate increases heart disease; contends shift away from focus on fat is revealing that sugar and ultra-processed foods are the worst additions to a diet; contends findings offer opportunity to reconsider what kind of foods one should consume. MORE

Feb. 12, 2014

Court documents in federal lawsuit between corn refinery and sugar industries show that the rival industries spent millions to enlist academics and lobbying groups to support a secret public relations war over the market for sweeteners. MORE

Dec. 2, 2013

A new study has found that drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with an increased risk for endometrial cancer. MORE

Oct. 31, 2013

Federal program that keeps the price of American suger above that of the world market is at the center of battle in the House and Senate over a farm bill; candy makers say the price of sugar is acting as an incentive to move abroad, while sugar producers say that it is essential to keeping them in business. MORE

Oct. 22, 2013

Oct. 2, 2013

Oxfam accuses Pepsico, Coca-Cola and Associated British Foods of buying sugar from Brazilian and Cambodian plantations that reportedly took land from farmers without proper compensation. MORE

Oct. 1, 2013

Newly created sugar plantations in Cambodia have created thousands of jobs for destitute migrant workers and subsistence farmers; still, international trade pacts that foster exports for the country and other poor nations can have unintended effect of encouraging land grabs by wealthy, politically connected families. MORE

May. 20, 2013

Simply focusing on sugar will do little to quell the rising epidemic in the United States. MORE

May. 11, 2013

Dannon cut sugar in its Danimals Smoothies yogurt drinks for children by 25 percent, but did so in way that made sure children could not taste difference; company kept efforts secret to keep customers from buying another yogurt; only indication of change is in fine print on nutrition label. MORE

May. 6, 2013

Although soda and sugary drinks are obvious targets for public health campaigns, they make up on average a third of the calories from added sugars that Americans consume in a typical day – a significant amount, but not the lion’s share. MORE

Nov. 18, 2012

Sugar cubes were invented in 1840s by Jakub Krystof Rad, whose wife suggested single-servings for tea after cutting her finger while chopping sugar; Eugen Langen reinvented cube for factory in 1870s. MORE

Oct. 27, 2012

Agriculture Department lowers its estimate of annual sugar consumption in United States to 76.7 pounds a person from nearly 100 pounds; decision raises questions about entire notion of per-capita consumption just as battles over sugar and sweeteners reach peak. MORE

Sep. 11, 2012

Science Q&A on whether some sugar substitutes are as corrosive to dental enamel as sugar. MORE

Jul. 17, 2012

Science Q&A on why water doesn't become sweeter when it is used to poach peaches and how the use of a simple sugar syrup can help the cook boost flavor. MORE

Jun. 2, 2012

Soda industry was blindsided by New York City Mayor Michael R Bloomberg's proposal to ban the sale of large-sized sweetened beverages at virtually all of the city's restaurants, street carts and theaters; an army of lobbyists and researchers are scrambling to plan a counterattack that could include a fight at the state legislative level, or even court. MORE

Jun. 1, 2012

New Yorkers react to Mayor Michael R Bloomberg's proposed ban prohibiting the sale of any cup or bottle of sugar-sweetened drink larger than 16 fluid ounces. MORE

Mar. 20, 2012

Dr Frank B Hu study in journal Circulation finds that men who drink one 12-ounce sugar-sweetened drink a day sharply increase their risk for heart disease. MORE

Mar. 20, 2012

National Center for Health Statistics report finds that older children consume more calories from sugar than younger ones do, boys consume more than girls, and white children consume more than black or Mexican-American children. MORE

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January 27, 2015, Tuesday

Sugar makers have historically relied solely on the weather to predict good and bad syrup years. But research suggests that seed production is a key indicator of what is set to flow from the trees and onto your pancakes.